White Summer Slaw

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Hi.

Uff. I thought I’d have a post all ready to go about Malaysia by today. I wrote yesterday at a coffee shop down the street, and to avoid looking like a creepy coffee shop loiterer, I bought a pretzel after an hour, and then a second americano, and then it was time to meet a friend for dinner.

I didn’t finish, is what I’m getting at. But I will. Until then, I hope you are soaking up whatever summer weather you’ve been given this week. Also, it’s great to be back.

White Summer Slaw

Mix 6 cups of shredded white cabbage with 1 red onion, sliced. Add a handful of chopped fresh cilantro. Whisk together 1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper, all to taste, until it’s as sweet or acidic as you like. Eat straight, or atop pulled pork on a sandwich.

A note about homemade mayonnaise: it’s easy, and it took me twenty-five years of mayo adoration to discover I’d never buy a jar of it again. The arm you whisk with will pinch a little at the crook of your elbow, but if you keep your eyes on the prize, a gorgeous whip of pale yellow mayonnaise will develop sooner than you can say wheresthefuckinghellmans. Or, soon after. Bonus? Leftover mayonnaise presents a superb excuse to make BLTs. As if you needed one. Here’s the recipe I use.

Melissa Clark’s Homemade Mayonnaise (makes 3/4 to 1 cup)

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cold water

3/4 cup canola oil or another neutral oil – but not olive, which will make your mayo bitter.

Whisk together all ingredients except the oil until frothy. Then, add the oil drop by drop while whisking fast. If you add the oil too quickly, your mayonnaise will break – if it does, no big deal. Start over. Once the mayonnaise starts emulsifying and expanding, you can add the oil in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk.